Joe Biden always strives for decency. However, the US President did not answer a journalist’s question in a virtuous manner: with an ironic remark, followed by an insult.
Washington – US President Joe Biden usually likes to portray himself as the epitome of decency, dignity and respect – and in this respect as the greatest possible contrast to his predecessor Donald Trump.
On Monday evening, however, Biden reacted a little less virtuously to the unpleasant question from a journalist. When the reporter asked the President on the sidelines of a public appearance in Washington whether the country’s rising inflation was a political burden in the congressional elections this fall, Biden murmured – audible to all since his microphone was still on – and clearly ironically: No, inflation is an advantage, “more inflation”. Shaking his head and making a slightly contorted face, Biden added a rude insult: “What a stupid son of a bitch.”
In English, “son of a bitch” is a swear word with an unflattering range of meanings, from “bastard,” “bastard,” or “puke,” to the very literal and rather uncommon translation, “son of a bitch.” In any case, the term usually does not appear in the public vocabulary of presidents. So why Biden’s violent reaction?
Inflation big political problem
The dramatically increased inflation rate in the US is indeed a major political problem for Biden and his Democrats in view of the congressional elections in November. Rising prices create resentment among the population. That’s no secret. And: The questioner – Peter Doocy, a reporter for Fox News, which used to be very loyal to Trump – regularly confronts the President and his spokeswoman Jen Psaki with uncomfortable questions.
Doocy took Biden’s comment with humor. In a chat with his station shortly after the incident, another Fox News co-worker sneered at Doocy that he thought the president was actually right. Doocy replied with a grin: “Yeah, no one has done a fact check on it yet and said it’s not true.” dpa
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